- German tactician Bruno Labbadia becomes the 37th Super Eagles coach, the sixth German to lead the three-time African champions
- Labbadia, known as a “relegation specialist,” faces the task of leading Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers
The newly appointed Super Eagles coach, Bruno Labbadia, who has been sacked nine times in his managerial career, becomes the sixth German to lead the three-time African champions. He follows in the footsteps of Karl-Heinz Marotzke (who had two stints between 1970 and 1974), Gottlieb Göller (1981), Manfred Höner (1988-1989), Berti Vogts (2007-2008), and Gernot Rohr (2016-2021).
Among these previous German coaches, Manfred Höner led the Super Eagles to the runner-up position at the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations, while Gernot Rohr successfully qualified Nigeria for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia and led the team to a third-place finish at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Labbadia, who was appointed as the 37th coach of the Super Eagles by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) yesterday, comes after a long period of anticipation following Finidi George’s resignation. The former Bayern Munich striker has faced multiple dismissals in his career, most recently from VfB Stuttgart due to poor performance. Known as a “relegation specialist,” Labbadia has gained a reputation for rescuing clubs from relegation, proving his ability to stabilize teams in challenging situations.
Announcing the appointment, NFF General Secretary Dr. Mohammed confirmed that the NFF Executive Committee had approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee. “The NFF Executive Committee has approved the recommendation of its Technical and Development Sub-Committee to appoint Mr. Bruno Labbadia as the Head Coach of the Super Eagles. The appointment is with immediate effect,” he stated.
Bruno Labbadia, born in Darmstadt, Germany, on February 8, 1966, is a former German international with experience coaching top clubs like Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha Berlin, and VfB Stuttgart. He holds a UEFA Pro License and made two appearances for the German national team (Die Mannschaft) during his playing career. Labbadia also played for several clubs, including Darmstadt 98, Hamburger SV, FC Kaiserslautern, Bayern Munich, FC Cologne, Werder Bremen, Arminia Bielefeld, and Karlsruher SC, and won the German Bundesliga with Bayern Munich as a player in 1994.
Meanwhile, Captain William Troost-Ekong, wing-back Olaoluwa Aina, and forwards Victor Osimhen and Taiwo Awoniyi have returned to the Super Eagles squad for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Benin Republic and Rwanda.
Ekong, the AFCON 2023 Man of the Competition, missed the June World Cup qualifiers due to injury, while Aina, Awoniyi, and reigning African Player of the Year Osimhen were also sidelined.
The squad includes three goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders, and seven forwards, with notable returns from Bendel Insurance’s Amas Obasogie and South Africa-based defender Olisa Ndah.
The Super Eagles are scheduled to face Benin Republic on September 7th in Uyo, followed by a match against Rwanda in Kigali on September 10th. All players are expected to report to the camp in Uyo by September 2nd.